In a case being watched by education authorities across the UK, the House of Lords allowed an appeal by Bracknell Forest Borough Council (BFBC) against an earlier Appeal Court ruling that despite long delays, David Adams, 32, was entitled to mount a compensation claim against the Council in its role as an education authority.

Mr Adams, who now lives in Newton Abbott, Devon, claimed he was entitled to damages as a result of them failing to spot he was dyslexic.

The case focused on the legal approach to be adopted to the insight dyslexics can be expected to have into their condition.

It was argued the very fact they have dyslexia could prove a barrier towards them realising they have a problem and that in those circumstances, such as Mr Adams', where claims were brought years later and well outside normal legal cut off limits, claims should be allowed to go ahead.

But on Thursday five law lords unanimously ruled that Mr Adams had left it too late and that his claim cannot now go ahead. Lord Hoffman, who gave the main judgment, said: "In the absence of some special inhibiting factor, I should have thought that Mr Adams could reasonably have been expected to seek expert advice years ago."

The Lords had been told that Mr Adams only discovered he was dyslexic by chance when he ended up dancing with an educational psychologist at a Salsa party.

She told him the years of misery he had endured at schools in Sandhurst, could be down to the fact he was dyslexic. Until then he had not been aware he suffered from dyslexia.

He mounted a landmark

compensation battle claiming his adult life has been blighted by failure of teachers to diagnose and deal with his severe dyslexia when he was a schoolboy.

Lord Hoffman said of his confiding in the woman at the Salsa party that it was difficult to explain why he was willing to confide in a lady he met at a dancing party but was unable to confide in his doctor.

He continued: "In my opinion, there is no reason why the normal expectations that a person suffering from a significant injury will be curious about its origins should not also apply to dyslexics."

He said he considered that the date Mr Adams new about his condition had been well before the date he issued his writ against the council.

Another law lord, Lord

Scott, said he considered that in view of the time that had

passed "the balance of fairness" tilted against allowing the

case to go ahead at this late stage.

The case was one which had been watched closely by education authorities, however, as it is the tip of a growing ice-berg. Increasing numbers of similar claims are now being made by other dyslexics as they become aware their condition was not recognised when they were at school.

It was viewed as one of major importance, particularly in respect of the level of insight dyslexics can be expected to have into their condition.

The council, which was Bracknell Borough Council, when Mr Adams was at the schools, argued that despite this the legal time limits should be observed and that the claim should not be allowed to go ahead.

The council argued that the fact that so long had now passed it was difficult for evidence for the case to be gathered or for witnesses to be traced.